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Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons
Fall 2001
by Jarl K. Waggoner
Lesson 1 - John 2:1-12
2:1 - "third day" = The third day after the calling of Nathanael (1:45-51).
2:1 - "Cana" - Cana, which was the home of Nathanael (21:2), was located near Nazareth, though the exact location has not been definitely identified (NBD, 183).
2:3 - "when they wanted wine" = "when the wine ran out" (NASB). A wedding feast often lasted for a week (BKC, 278), and the failure of the wine supply meant a "social catastrophe was impending" (Kent, 46).
2:3 - "They have no wine" - Mary was making an implicit request of Jesus to do something. He had done no miracles up to this point (cf. vs.11); so it is doubtful that she was simply requesting a miracle. Kent (47) concludes from Jesus' reply (vs. 4), which alludes to the "hour," that Mary was "hoping for Jesus to give the supreme manifestation of himself, perhaps to remove the suspicion of impurity that must have hovered over her those many years."
2:4 - "Woman" - A polite term for addressing women (cf. 4:21; 8:10; 19:26). Some, suggest that Jesus' use of "woman" rather than "mother" indicates a new relationship between the two. He was now not primarily the "Son of Mary" but the "Son of man" (Morris, Gospel According to John, 180-181).
2:4 - "what have I to do with thee?" - i.e., what Mary was thinking was not his concern at the present (Kent, 47). "Jesus is insisting that if he acts it must be on his own initiative in obedience to God his Father. His hand will not be forced, even by a close relative" (Michaels, 49).
2:4 - "Mine hour is not yet come" - As used by John (7:6, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1), this expression speaks of the time of his suffering and death, when his identity and purpose would be fully manifested. This time had not yet come (cf. Kent, 47; BKC, 278).
2:5 - "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it" - Though Jesus had mildly rebuked Mary for her implied request, "she was confident he would do something" (Kent, 47).
2:6- "two or three firkins" - The water pots, which held water for Jewish purification rites, held 20 to 30 gallons each (NBD, 1325; cf. NASB; NIV).
2:8 - "governor of the feast" - This "was not the host, but a headwaiter or toastmaster called in to take care of the distribution of food and drink at a large social occasion" (NIVBC, 302).
2:9 - "the water that was made wine" - Presumably the water in all six waterpots was miraculously transformed into wine, though it is possible to take it as meaning only that which was drawn out of the containers (cf. Morris, 184). Some argue that the wine was unfermented, but fermented wine was the common, and often only safe, drink of the day. It cannot, however, be equated with modern-day wine, for it was universally diluted with water (cf. Old ISBE, 3087; Kent, 48).
2:10 - "well drunken" - The verb can indicate drunkenness (Vine, 186), but Robertson says, "The verb does not mean that these guests are now drunk, but that this is a common custom to put 'the worse' . . . wine last" (Robt., 5:37). NASB translates "drunk freely" (cf. JFB, 5:358).
2:11- "the beginning of the miracles" - "The word for 'miracles' or 'signs' (Gr.: semeia) emphasizes the symbolic character of these acts. They are important not simply because they are miraculous but because they convey a meaning or message" (Michaels, 49). Exactly what that message is is not stated beyond the fact that the miracle manifested Christ's glory. Thus there is speculation that the six water pots represent the incompleteness of Judaism and the miracle exposes the inadequacy of Jewish religion (cf. Morris, 182-3; Mark 2:22). Others believe the miracle shows that "Jesus had come to bring about conversion: water to wine, sinners to saints" (NIVBC, 302). Kent (48) is more cautious, stating that "in the case of Jesus, the miracles were signs of Christ's origin, person, and mission."
2:11 - "manifested forth his glory" - "[John's] declared intention in writing his Gospel is to show that 'Jesus is the Christ' (20:31). This involves the clear recognition that He is fully man, it is true, but it also involves bringing out the truth that He is more. Throughout the first chapter he has shown us both aspects. Jesus is the Logos who was with God and was God. He is also the 'Teacher' to whom Andrew and his friend came (1:38). Neither aspect should be overlooked. So now he tells us that the 'sign' he has described displayed the glory of Jesus" (Morris, 185-6).
2:12 - "down to Capernaum" - Capernaum was located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, about 18 miles from Cana (Macmillan Bible Atlas, #228). "Down" reflects the fact that while Capernaum was actually east and slightly north of Cana, it lay at a lower altitude (Morris, 186).
Lesson 2 - Matthew 8:23-27; 14:14-21 (cf. Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14).
8:24 - "tempest" = seismos, meaning a shaking and often translated earthquake as in Matthew 24:7 (Vine's, 191; WBC, 943). Such sudden, violent storms are common on the Sea of Galilee (NIVBC, 41).
8:26 - "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" - The disciples' fear was the result of a lack of faith. Yet their very request of Jesus indicated that they possessed a degree of faith, believing that Jesus could somehow deliver them from the storm. NIVBC (41) says Jesus' rebuke of his disciples was "not against skepticism of his ability, nor against the fear that the disciples might drown. Rather, Jesus rebukes their failure to see that the one so obviously raised up by God to accomplish the messianic work could not possibly have died in a storm while that work remained undone. They lacked faith, not so much in his ability to save them, as in Jesus the Messiah, whose life could not be lost in a storm, as if the elements were out of control and Jesus himself the pawn of chance."
14:15 - "it was evening" - See WBC (955) and Kent (100) for discussion of "evening" here with "evening" in verse 23, as well as harmonization with John 6.
14:16 - "give ye them to eat" - It is not clear (as it was not clear to the disciples) exactly what this meant. Hendriksen (Matthew, 594) offers three possibilities: (1) He wanted them to accept responsibility; getting rid of people in need is not the solution to their need; (2) He wanted them to ask, seek, and knock, that is, go to him for the answer; (3) He was telling them that they were to be God's means of supplying the need.
14:20 - "they did all eat" - "The striking beuty of the account is heightened by the fact that only a few simple words are used to relate the miracle of the multiplication of the fragments. One might even say that the miracle is implied rather than expressed" (Hendriksen, 596). Exactly when the bread and fish were miraculously multiplied is not stated. Hendriksen also points out the significance of the miracle in pointing to Christ as the perfect Savior, "the One who provides for both body and soul" and to Christ as the fulfillment of OT prophecy (597).
14:20 - "twelve baskets full" - Nothing is said about what use was made of the leftovers. The most popular suggestion is that there was one basket for each of the disciples, but the food could have been used by them or given to others (cf. Robt. 1:117-118).
14:21 - "five thousand men, beside women and children" - NIVBC (73) estimates the crowd at "fifteen or twenty thousand total."
Lesson 3 - Mark 3:1-6; John 9:1-12 (cf. Matt. 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11)
Mark 3:1 - "the synagogue" - This was perhaps the synagogue in Capernaum (cf. 2:1), but we cannot be certain of the location.
3:1 - "withered hand" - NIV translates "shriveled hand." It perhaps describes "some sort of paralysis" (NIVBC, 149). Robertson (1:275) says the Greek shows that this was not a congenital condition but the result of injury or disease. Hendriksen (Mark, 114-115) suggests this is pressing the meaning too far.
3:2 - "they watched" - These were scribes and Pharisees (cf. Matt. 12:14; Mark 3:6; Luke 6:7).
3:2 - "that they might accuse him" - "They were convinced of his power to perform miracles, but were wondering if he would break rabbinic law that allowed healing on the Sabbath only if that life was actually in danger" (NIVBC, 149).
3:4 - "Is it lawful to do good . . . or to do evil? to save life or to kill?" - Jesus' rhetorical question pointed out the hypocrisy of his accusers (cf. Matt. 12:11; Luke 14:5). Refusal to help this man on the Sabbath was to do evil; in addition, their "malicious plotting on the Sabbath (cf. 3:6) led them to kill" (BKC, 115).
3:6 - "Herodians" - The Herodians were supporters of Herod Antipas and his family. As such they sought friendship with Rome. They "were obviously something more than a political party, something less than a religious sect" (UBD, 479; cf. Gromacki, New Testament Survey, 36). Though they differed greatly with the Pharisees they found common ground with them in their opposition to Jesus. Hendriksen calls their alliance, "a strange coalition between the sanctimonious and the sacrilegious!" (117-18). John 9:1 - Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles (cf. 7:2). This was September-October, about six months before the crucifixion.
9:2 - "Who did sin?" - The disciples apparently accepted the rabbinic teaching that suffering was due to personal sin. But whose sin caused this man to be born blind? Was it the sin of his parents, or was it possible he himself had sinned in the womb or in some previous existence, as some rabbis argued (Kent, 132; Morris, John, 478).
9:3 - "Neither . . . sinned" - Jesus rejected both alternatives raised by the disciples. While suffering is the result of living in a fallen world, it is not always the result of specific, personal sin.
9:4 - "day . . . night" - "Jesus compares his ministry to light in a dark world (cf. 1:9; 3:19; 8:12), a light that like the hours of daylight has its limits and must in time give way to darkness again" (Michaels, 160).
9:5 - "light of the world" - Cf. 8:12. He is the one who brings salvation (BKC, 307). The healing of the blind man illustrates this.
9:6 - "anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay" - Jesus used similar means in Mark 7:33 and Mark 8:23. Why he did so here is not clear. Many suggest this was an aid to the man's faith (BKC, 307). "The touch of a friendly hand would be reassuring. The weight of the clay would indicate to the blind man that something had been done to him, and it would induce obedience to Jesus' command" (NIVBC, 328).
9:7 - "Wash in the pool of Siloam" - The pool was in the southeast part of the city and was fed by the Gihon Spring by way of Hezekiah's tunnel. John said the name meant "sent." The significance seems to be that the man was being sent to the pool by the "Sent One," the Messiah (Kent, 133; Michaels, 164; BKC, 307).
Lesson 4 - Matthew 15:21-31 (cf. Mark 7:24-30)
15:21 - "Tyre and Sidon" - It seems Jesus secluded himself in this Phoenician area to "avoid further interruption either from the Galilaean crowds or the Pharisaic legalists" (Tasker, Matthew, 149-50; cf. BKC, 55).
15:22 - "son of David" - This is a messianic title and indicates the woman believed Jesus to be the Messiah, even though there is no evidence she was a proselyte (WBC, 957; Hendriksen, Matthew, 622).
15:23 - "answered her not a word" - ""Partly to be explained by Jesus' attempt to remain secluded (Mk 7:24). However, the discussion that follows indicates the focus of Christ's mission, and this procedure of Jesus made the instruction most effective. The fact that Mark omits mention of Christ's silence may indicate that this action was not so startling as one might suppose" (WBC, 957). After a detailed discussion of Jesus' delay in answering the woman's request, Hendriksen concludes, "Jesus delayed to heed her request in order to test her faith, that is, to refine it as silver is refined, purified. He wanted to give her faith an opportunity for more glorious expression (624).
15:23 - "Send her away" - Hendriksen (622) says, "These men evidently considered this woman, who was constantly crying out after them, an intolerable nuisance." NIVBC (76), however, argues that the meaning is "Send her away-that is, silence her-by meeting her request." Meeting her request presumably was the only way to stop her continuing cries (cf. BKC, 55). This would explain Jesus' words in verse 24, which seems to be an explanation of why he had not responded to her request as yet.
15:25 - "worshipped" - The literal meaning of the word-to bow down or prostrate oneself-is probably what is in view here (BAG, 723-4). NASB's "began to bow down" or NJB's "was bowing low before him" is better. The tense (imperfect) suggests she did this again and again (Hendriksen, 623).
15:26 - "It is not meet (proper) to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs" - This statement "supposes that the 'children' are the people of Israel and the 'dogs' are Gentiles. His concern is one of precedence; the children get fed first" (NIVBC, 76). Jesus' response was a test of the woman's faith. It pointed out "that at this time all were dependent on Israel for Messiah and his blessings" (WBC, 957). In addition, "Here in Phoenicia he had to be careful not to give the impression that he was abandoning Israel" (Ibid.).
15:26 - "dogs" - This is not the usual word for wild scavengers but the word for little dogs that were kept as household pets (Hendriksen, 623; WBC, 957).
15:27 - "the dogs eat of the crumbs" - The woman's reply reveals acceptance of the preeminence of the Jews in God's plan and considerable faith. "She does not argue that her needs make her an exception, or that she has a right to Israel's covenanted mercies, or that the mysterious ways of divine election and justice are unfair. She simply asks for help, hopeful that she may be allowed to receive a crumb from the kindness of the Lord" (NIVBC, 76).
15:29 - "sea of Galilee" - This was the southeastern side of the lake, in the Decapolis area (cf. Mark 7:31), an area that was predominantly Gentile (NBD, 304-5).
15:31 - "glorified the God of Israel" - This hints at the fact that the people were indeed Gentiles.
Lesson 5 - John 11:1-7, 11b-15, 38-44
11:1 - "Lazarus . . . Mary . . . Martha" - This family, which lived in Bethany, just two miles east of Jerusalam (UBD, 138), is mentioned three times in the Gospels (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-46; 12:1-11).
11:2 - "Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment" - This is described in John 12:1-9 and assumes that by the time of John's writing the incident was well-known to his readers.
11:3, 5 - "lovest . . . loved" - The words phileo and agape are use respectively. These synonyms are used here without distinction (cf. Robt., 5: 193-4; Michaels, 197; Morris, 539).
11:4 - "This sickness is not unto death" - That is, "the end of the matter will not be death, but God's glory and the glory of God's Son" (Michaels, 194). It is probable that Lazarus was already dead by the time word reached Jesus of his illness. Clearly, he knew Lazarus had or would die physically (vs. 14), but "physical death was not to be the final movement of the episode" (Kent, 146).
11:6 - "abode . . . in the place he was" - Jesus remained in Perea (cf. 10:40) for two more days. The reason is not stated. Possibilities include: to heighten the miracle; to set the stage for Jesus' disclosure of Lazarus's death and the ensuing events (Michaels, 198); to show that he was unmoved by external forces (Morris, 540). It surely was not to allow time for Lazarus to die, since he had probably already died by this time.
11:12 - "if he sleep, he shall do well" - Misunderstanding Jesus' reference to sleep as literal sleep rather than physical death, the disciples stated their belief that Lazarus's sleep would bring about his recovery. "Do well" is sozo, literally be saved, meant here in the physical sense.
11:15 - "I am glad for your sakes . . . to the intent ye may believe" - This expressed Jesus' "desire to educate them in a faith that would transcend death. If their belief could outreach their fears, and overleap the barrier which the supposed finality of death creates, they would be prepared for the shock of His coming crucifixion and for the resurrection" (Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, 173).
11:38 - "groaning" - The same word is used in verse 33. NIV translates "deeply moved," and idea supported by most translations and many commentators (cf. Morris, 556). But the word can also be translated "angered" (Robt., 5:202; BKC, 314). If this is the idea here, then Jesus' anger was probably directed at death (Michaels, 203) or more generally at all that sin had brought about, including death (Kent, 150) or at Satan (BKC, 314).
11:38 - "a cave, and a stone lay upon it" - The rock-hewn tomb probably indicates that Lazarus was a man of some importance (Morris, 559).
11:39 - "four days" - This stresses the permanence and actuality of Lazarus's condition. Decomposition would have already set in as Martha argued. Some commentators point out an old Jewish tradition that "the soul hovers around the tomb for three days hoping to return to the body, but on the fourth day leaves it" (Robt., 5:204). If this was a common belief in Jesus' day, the four days would have added to the impressiveness of his miracle.
11:40 - "Said I not?" - See Michaels (206-207) for an interesting discussion of how Jesus' statement here about the glory of God might relate to what he said in verse 4.
11:40 - "if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God" - "The real meaning of what He would do is accessible only to faith. All there, believing or not, would see the miracle. But Jesus is promising Martha a sight of the glory. The crowd would see the miracle, but only believers would see its real significance, the glory" (Morris, 560).
11:44 - "he . . . came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes" - Since burial involved wrapping the body in "bandage-like wrappings from the armpits to the feet" (Tenney, 176-77), many believe Lazarus was supernaturally brought forth from the tomb (Morris, 562; BKC, 315). However, "if the legs were wrapped separately in the burial cloths, as was sometimes done, walking would have been possible though awkward" (Kent, 151).
Lesson 6 - Matthew 13:1-13, 34-35 (cf. Mark 4:1-11, 33-34; Luke 8:4-10)
13:1 - "the same day" - cf. Matt. 12:22-50. This was one of "the busiest days recorded of Jesus' ministry" (WBC, 951).
13:3 - "parables" - Parable literally means to throw alongside (BKC, 48). Thus, it is a comparison, or "an analogy used in an illustrative way" (Stein, The Method and Message of Jesus' Teachings, 34). Wiersbe defines it as "a story, or comparison, that is put along side something else to help make the lesson clear" (82).
13:4 - "by the way side" = "along the path" (NIV), that is, along the hardened footpath through the field, where the seeds remained on the surface. The seed represents the "word of the kingdom" (vs. 19), or the Word of God (Luke 8:11). The hardened soil of the pathway represents the hearts of those who are insensitive, hardened, and unresponsive to God's Word. From them "Satan . . . soon removes all spiritual impressions" (WBC, 952).
13:5 - "stony places" - "A rock ledge covered with a thin layer of soil" (WBC, 951). The picture is of a superficial response that does not last (cf. vss. 20-21).
13:7 - "among thorns" - See vs. 22 for interpretation.
13:8 - "good ground" - See vs. 23 for interpretation. "Only the seed that fell on good soil had an abiding result and the production of a crop that increased 100, 60, or 30 times what had been sown. The one who believes Jesus' word (the man who hears the Word and understands it) will then receive and understand even more (cf. 13:12)" (BKC, 50). "Fruit is the test of true salvation (Matt. 7 :16). This would include holiness (Rom. 6:22), Christian character (Gal. 5:22-23), good works (Col. 1:10), winning others to Christ (Rom. 1:13), sharing what we have (Rom. 15:25-28), and praising God (Heb. 13:15)" (Wiersbe, 83).
13:11 - "it is given unto you . . . to them it is not given" - In answer to the disciples' question, Jesus explained that the reason for his teaching in parables was the presence of two distinct groups. The parables revealed the "mysteries of the kingdom" to the disciples but hid the truth from the unbelieving multitude. "Jesus' parabolic instruction thus carried with it a judgmental aspect. By using parables in public, Jesus could preach to as many individuals as before, but He could then draw the disciples aside and explain to them fully the meaning of His words" (BKC, 49). WBC (952) notes that "there is grace even here, for they were spared the greater guilt of rejecting the plainest teaching, and there remained the possibility that the intriguing parable might arouse curiosity and bring about a change of heart."
13:11 - "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" - A "mystery" is something that is known only by revelation (Hendriksen, Matthew, 553). Many dispensationalists make a distinction between "kingdom of heaven" here and "kingdom of God" (cf. Mark 4:11). See, for example BKC (49). "'The secrets . . . of the kingdom' are divine plans or decrees, often passed on in veiled language, known only to the elect and usually relating to events of the end time. For these secrets to be 'given to' the disciples suggests that to them certain eschatological realities are being revealed. . . . Jesus is revealing that the kingdom of God, especially as foreseen in Daniel, has in fact entered the world and is working, although secretly, among humankind" (NIVBC, 65).
13:13 - "seeing see not" - Jesus' use of parables is related to the obstinate unbelief of the people, as foreseen, at least in part, in Isaiah 6:9-10, which is quoted in vss. 14-15.
13:35 - "open my mouth in parables" - This is a quotation from Psalm 78:2, written by Asaph, who is called a "seer," or prophet, in 2 Chronicles 29:30. See Hendriksen (569-70) for parallels between Psalm 78 and Jesus' teaching.
Lesson 7 - Luke 10:25-37
10:25 - "lawyer" - This was an "expert in the law" (NIV), a scribe who perhaps had a seat in the Sanhedrin (NBD, 723).
10:25 - "tempted him" = "put him to the test" (NASB). The lawyer's question was clearly made with a hostile intent (Robt., 2:151).
10:27 - "Love the Lord thy God . . . and thy neighbour" - In giving his understanding of what the law required for one to inherit eternal life, the lawyer quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
10:28 - "Thou hast answered right" - "Some see in this a formal commendation of the way of works. If you want a way of salvation by doing, this is it (with the implication that you won't be able to do it). It is perhaps more likely that it is a repudiation of works. It is not what we do, considered as a meritorious work, that matters, but our attitude.. If we really love God in the way of which Jesus speaks, then we rely on him, not ourselves" (Morris, Luke, 206). It seems Jesus was saying that yes this will assure you of salvation if you "do" it (the present imperative means keep on doing it). "There was only one trouble with the lawyer's answer. No one ever did or ever can "do" what the law lays down towards God and man always" (Robt., 2:152). "To love God means to accept what God in his grace has done and to trust in him" (Stein, 319).
10:29 - "willing to justify himself, said . . . who is my neighbour?" - Some see this as the lawyer's justifying his asking the question, a question he already knew the answer to. Thus, he had to ask a follow-up question (an insincere one) in order to show that he was not merely trying to trap Jesus (cf. Robt. 2:152). Others see the lawyer trying to justify the fact that he did not in reality love all people, just those he narrowly defined as his neighbors. "Realizing that he had been caught by his own words, since he had not kept the Law, the lawyer began to quibble over a definition. Strict Jews would not acknowledge that any non-Jew was a neighbor" (WBC, 1047).
10:30 - "went down from Jerusalem to Jericho" - This was a distance of about 17 miles and descended over 3000 feet (BKC, 234; Morris, Luke, 206).
10:31-32 - "passed by on the other side" - Many suggest that the priest and Levite may have thought the man was dead and feared defiling themselves through contact with a corpse. The point seems to be their lack of love and concern, however (cf. WBC, 1047; Stein, 317).
10:32 - "Levite" - The Levites "assisted the priests in various sacrificial duties and policing the temple but could not perform the sacrificial acts" (Stein, 317).
10:33 - "Samaritan" - Samaritans were generally viewed with contempt by Jews (cf. John 4:9; 8:48) because of their mixed ancestry and religious departures from Judaism (cf. Tenney, New Testament Times, 85-88).
10:34 - "oil and wine" - Wine would have been used to clean the wound; it also acted as an antiseptic. Oil was used to relieve pain (Morris, Luke, 207; Robt., 2:153).
10:35 - "two pence" - Literally, "two denarii." A denarii was the equivalent of a day's wages for a working man. As to its buying power, it may have been sufficient to pay for a prolonged stay (WBC, 1047; Morris, Luke, 208).
10:36 - "Which . . . was neighbour to him?" - "The man had asked, 'Who is my neighbour?' but Jesus faced him with the question 'To whom am I neighbour?'" (Morris, Luke, 208). "The lawyer's original question has been deliberately altered so that further argument is avoided. 'One cannot define one's neighbour; one can only be a neighbour'" (Marshall, 450). Jesus was indicating that "one should worry less about who a neighbor is than about being a good neighbor" (Stein, 318).
10:37 - "He that shewed mercy" - The more natural answer would have simply been "the Samaritan." It seems the lawyer in his despite for Samaritans was avoiding the use of the very name "Samaritan."
Lesson 8 - Luke 18:1-14
18:1 - "always to pray" - The previous chapter dealing with Christ's return provides the context for this parable. "Because of the delay in the consummation of the kingdom, it is especially important for persistent prayer to characterize the Christian life" (Stein, 444).
18:2 - "feared not God, neither regarded man" - The judge "is depicted as indifferent to God or the wishes of other people" (Stein, 444).
18:3 - "avenge me" = "grant me justice" (NIV; cf. NRSV; NJB; NASB). The word can mean "'to procure justice for someone' . . . in the sense of securing the rights of the wronged person (e.g. the payment of compensation) or of punishing the offender . . . Here the former interpretation is required; what the widow wants is not the punishment of her opponent but the payment of whatever is due to her" (Marshall, 672).
18:7 - "shall not God avenge?" - God is not compared to the unjust judge but contrasted with him. "If an unworthy, sinful, uncompassionate self-seeking judge will finally act because of persistence in requesting, how much more will your heavenly Father respond to your prayers" (French, Principles and Practice of Prayer, 47-48; cf. Morris, Luke, 287, 288). "Avenge" here is the same word used in verses 3, 5, and 8. The meaning here could be either rescue (the righting of a wrong) or punishment (Stein, 445).
18:7 - "bear long with them" - Marshall (674-675) lists 9 different interpretations of this phrase. The KJV rendering suggests "that God delays the vindication, probably for a gracious purpose in strengthening his own as they endure hardship" (Morris, 288; cf. NIVBC, 269).
18:8 - "speedily" = "quickly" (NASB; NIV). It probably means "soon" here rather than "suddenly." Marshall (676) notes that "the parable is concerned with two points: 1. Will God vindicate his people? Answer: Yes, even more certainly than the unjust judge who eventually acted contrary to his character. 2. Will they have to wait a long time? Answer: God is not like the judge who had to be pestered before he gave in to the widow. He will answer soon. . . . To the elect it may seem to be a long time until he answers, but afterwards they will realise that it was in fact short."
18:8 - "shall he find faith on the earth?" - This is meant as "an exhortation to take seriously the lesson of the parable that God will certainly act to vindicate them" (Marshall, 676-77). "Persistent prayer and perseverance are necessary in order for God's chosen ones to remain true to the faith until the Son of Man returns" (Stein, 447). The definite article before "faith" suggests this should be understood as the faith rather than faithfulness.
18:9 - "which trusted in themselves" - The reference is clearly to the Pharisees (cf. Luke 16:14-15; 18:10).
18:9 - "despised others" - Stein (449) notes that "only those who possess a false confidence in their own righteousness look down at others."
18:10 - "Pharisee . . . publican" - The Pharisees were the largest and most influential Jewish sect, characterized by devotion to the law, as well as to the oral law (traditions) (Tenney, New Testament Times, 91-94; UBD, 854-56). Publicans were Jews who contracted to collect taxes for the Romans (UBD, 899-900). They were despised by most Jews, were often unscrupulous, and were considered among the worst of sinners (cf. Luke 5:30).
18:11 - "prayed with himself" - This could be translated, "prayed to himself" or "prayed about himself" (cf. Stein, 449). Whatever translation is followed, it is clear that his prayer was not so much an appeal to God (there is no petition) as it was a display of pride.
18:12 - "fast . . . give tithes" - Both in terms of fasting and tithing, the Pharisee went beyond what the law required.
18:13 - "smote upon his breast"- This was a sign of "contrition or grief" (Stein, 450). The imperfect tense suggests he was continually beating his breast (Robt., 2:233).
18:13 - "be merciful" - "The verb be merciful is hilastheti, 'be propitiated', 'let thine anger by removed'." (Morris, 290). It expresses "his longing for forgiveness" (Marshall, 680).
18:14 - "justified" = reckoned as righteous (Morris, 290). The "term means more than just being forgiven, for it also involves the gift of a new standing before God" (Stein, 450). The publican was justified by God in contrast to the Pharisee's self-justification (NIVBC, 270).
Lesson 9 - Matthew 25:31-46
25:31 - "when the Son of man shall come" - This refers to Jesus' return to earth at the conclusion of the Great Tribulation described in chapter 24. "Son of man" was a messianic title (cf. Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 26:64-65).
25:32 - "before him shall be gathered all nations" - Many, especially amillennialists, identify this judgment with the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15, a universal judgment that ushers in the eternal state. Premillennialists generally see this as the judgment of living people after Christ's second advent and before the millennial reign of Christ. "Nations" is the word generally used for Gentiles; thus this is viewed by many as particularly a judgment of Gentiles (Walvoord, Thy Kingdom Come, 200-201). Others insist that Jews are also included (cf. Hendriksen, Matthew, 886). The difference is based more on theology than grammar.
25:32 - "all nations . . . separate them" - "Nations" is neuter gender in Greek; "them" is masculine. This indicates that while nations will be gathered before Christ, people will be judged as individuals ("them").
25:33 - "sheep on his right hand . . . goats on the left" - The sheep represent the righteous; goats the unrighteous. "In the countryside sheep and goats mingled during the day. At night they were often separated: sheep tolerated the cool air, but goats had to be herded together for warmth. The right hand is the place of power and honor" (NIVBC, 115).
25:35 - "ye gave me meat" - The good works obviously are not the basis for inheritance of the kingdom but the evidence of their faith, which is the basis of salvation (cf. Matt. 7:16-20).
25:40 - "the least of these my brethren" - "My brethren" has been identified as: (1) suffering people in general (Tasker, Matthew, 238); (2) Jesus' followers (NIVBC, 115); and (3) believing Jews of the tribulation period (BKC, 81; WBC, 976; Wiersbe, 185). In support of the latter is the clear distinction between sheep and goats as two groups and "my brethren" as a third group.
25:46 - "everlasting punishment . . . life eternal" - The same Greek word is translated here "everlasting" and "eternal." "This word refers to life or punishment in the age to come; it is 'everlasting'" (NIVBC, 116).
Lesson 10 - Matthew 5:1-16 (cf. Luke 6:20-26)
5:1 - "multitudes . . . disciples" - "The sermon was directed primarily to [the disciples]. However, some of it was heard by the multitudes" (WBC, 936).
5:1 - "mountain" - If the sermon in Luke 6 is an abbreviated version of this same sermon, the "plain" (Luke 6:17) was probably a plateau on the mountainside (cf. NIVBC, 232).
5:3 - "Blessed" = happy. It is a "description of a believer's inner condition. When describing a person in God's will, it is virtually equivalent to 'saved'" (WBC, 937). The blessings specified in each Beatitude is eschatological (related to the end times). They are called Beatitudes, from the Latin word for "blessed" (NIVBC, 22-23).
5:3 - "poor in spirit" - This refers to "those who consciously depend on God, not on themselves; they are 'poor' inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God" (BKC, 29).
5:3 - "kingdom of heaven" - Many older dispensationalists draw a distinction between Matthew's "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" (cf. Mark 1:15; Luke 6:20). Most commentators today (including dispensationalists) see the two terms as synonymous (NIVBC, 16). It refers to both the future kingdom of Christ on earth but also to the present spiritual kingdom Christ rules and into which one enters through faith in Christ (cf. Walvoord, Thy Kingdom Come, 30-31).
5:4 - "mourn" - This is probably mourning over sins. "A sense of anguish for sin characterizes the blessed man. But genuine repentance will bring comfort to the believer" (WBC, 937).
5:5 - "meek" - cf. Ps. 37:11. The word speaks of gentleness or a lack of self-interest or self-assertiveness (Vine's, 401). Wiersbe (34) says the word was "used by the Greeks to describe a horse that had been broken. It refers to power under control."
5:5 - "inherit the earth" - This refers either to the earthly messianic kingdom (WBC, 937) or the new heavens and new earth (NIVBC, 23).
5:6 - "righteousness" - This is best taken to mean personal righteousness, right living (BKC, 29) or holiness (Robt., 1:41).
5:7 - "merciful . . . shall obtain mercy" - By showing mercy in gratitude for the mercy they have received from the Lord, believers in turn receive from the Lord the "reward of mercy" (Hendriksen, Matthew, 276).
5:8 - "pure in heart . . . shall see God" - The "pure in heart" are those "whose moral being is free from contamination with sin, without divided interests or loyalties" (WBC, 937). They will "see God" now "with the eyes of faith and finally in the dazzling brilliance of the beatific vision" (NIVBC, 24).
5:9 - "peacemakers . . . the children of God" - "Peacemaking will include the promulgation of [the] Gospel. It must also extend to seeking all kinds of reconciliation" (NIVBC, 24). Those who practice this will be recognized as God's children for they reflect his character.
5:13 - "salt of the earth" - Salt was a common food preservative as well as a seasoning. The idea here probably is that, like salt, Jesus' followers are to act as a preservative, restraining the world's corruption (WBC, 937; JFB, 5:29). The emphasis is on the believer's influence or testimony in the world.
5:13 - "lost his savour" - Pure salt cannot lose its "savour," or taste. However, many argue that most of the salt used in Palestine came from the Dead Sea and was mixed with carnallite or gypsum. Such a mixture could, under certain circumstances, lose its flavor and become useless (cf. Morris, Luke, 259; Stein, 398).
5:14-16- "the light" - Just as Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12), so his followers are lights, illuminating the sin-darkened world with their "good works" and causing others to glorify God.
Lesson 11 - Matthew 5:17-20, 38-48 (cf. Luke 6:27-30, 32-36)
5:17 - "law, . . . prophets" = the whole Old Testament (cf. Hendriksen, Matthew, 288).
5:17 - "fulfill [the law]" - "Christ answers the objection that he was flouting the OT by denying any effort to annul or abrogate the Law. . . . Christ fulfilled the OT by obeying the Law perfectly, by fulfilling its types and propehecies, and by paying the full penalty of the Law as the Substitute for sinners" (WBC, 937).
5:18 - "jot . . . tittle"- "Jot" refers to the yod, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The "tittle" is the small projection on some Hebrew letters (cf. WBC, 937).
5:19 - "least commandments" -Jewish rabbis "divided the law into 613 commandments. They considered 248 of these to be positive, 365 negative. They carried on lengthy debates about heavier and light commandments" (Hendriksen, 292).
5:20 - "exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees" - The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees consisted of outward conformity to the law and their own traditions. For one to enter "the kingdom of heaven," he must possess a righteousness that goes beyond outward acts. "The believer's righteousness is based upon that imputed righteousness of Christ obtained by faith (Rom 3:21, 22)" (WBC, 937).
5:38 - "an eye for an eye" - Cf. Exod. 21:24-25; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21. The purpose of the OT law was to provide for punishment of evildoers and to discourage the practice of pursuing private vengeance. "The Pharisees, however, appealed to this law to justify personal retribution and revenge. They quoted this command in order to defeat its very purpose" (Hendriksen, 310). This is what Jesus was responding to.
5:39 - "resist not evil" - This does not mean we are to allow evil to go unchecked. Rather, Jesus is "condemning the spirit of lovelessness, hatred, yearning for revenge" (Hendriksen, 310). The principle is applied on a personal level, not a national one (Wiersbe, 39). "Evil" here probably refers to the evil person, though it could mean the evil deed (NIVBC, 28; Robt., 1:47-48).
5:40 - "coat . . . cloke" - The "coat" was an inner garment, or tunic. The "cloke" was an outer garment or coat that was "sometimes used as a bed covering (see Ex 22:26, 27), and thus could not be held overnight as security for debt (Deut 24:12, 13)" (WBC, 939).
5:41 - "compel thee to go a mile" - Roman soldiers could compel civilians to carry their equipment "a prescribed distance, one 'Roman' mile," a practice that "evoked outrage" (NIVBC, 29).
5:43 - "love thy neighbour . . . hate thine enemy" - The command to love one's neighbor is found in Leviticus 19:18. There is no OT command to hate one's enemy; nevertheless this was the common teaching of the Pharisees (BKC, 31; WBC, 939).
5:45 - "that ye may be the children of your Father" - That is, their actions will prove that they are children of God, who shows love to all people, the "just and . . . the unjust" (cf. Hendriksen, 313-14).
5:48 - "perfect" - The word (teleioi) means having reached its end, finished, complete (Vine's, 466). It clearly does not mean sinless perfection here (cf. vs. 6). The command "is restricted to the matter of love in this context. As God's love is complete, not omitting any group, so must the child of God strive for maturity in this regard" (WBC, 939).
Lesson 12 - Matthew 6:19-34 (cf. Luke 12:22-31)
6:19 - "Lay not up for yourselves treasures" - The warning here is not against prudent preparation but against selfish ("for yourselves") materialism (cf. NIVBC, 33).
6:20 - "treasures in heaven" - This refers to "whatever is of good and eternal significance that comes out of what is done on earth. Doing righteous deeds, suffering for Christ's sake, forgiving one another-all these have the promise of 'reward'" (NIVBC, 33; cf. Wiersbe, 46). This is probably the equivalent of seeking 'the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (vs. 33).
6:21 - "there will your heart be also" - "Jesus' point is that the things most highly treasured occupy the 'heart" . . . the center of a personality . . . thus the most cherished treasure subtly but infallibly controls one's whole direction and values" (NIVBC, 33).
6:22 - "light of the body is the eye" - The eye is not the source of light but "the guide on which the entire body depends for illumination and direction. It is because of the eye that a man is able to make use of the light" (Hendriksen, Matthew, 346). It is used here figuratively of "one's spiritual understanding" (WBC, 940). Such understanding must be "single," or sound (Vine's, 578), and not "evil," or bad, in order to have a proper perspective on riches. Cf. NASB.
6:24 - "mammom" = wealth, profit, or money (Vine's, 388; NBD, 775).
6:25 - "take no thought" = "do not worry" (NIV; NRSV). This does not forbid planning or preparation but does forbid undue worry over material needs.
6:27 - "stature" - The word speaks either of height (stature) or length of life (Robt., 1:59). NASB and NIV takes it as referring to life span. "Cubit," however, is not a normal measurement of time (cf. WBC, 940).
6:33 - "seek . . . first" - The tense of "seek" (pursue) indicates a continual pursuit. "First" "indicates one's first and ever dominant concern" (LBC, 1900).
6:33 - "kingdom of God, and his righteousness" - The believer is to pursue the "righteousness that is characteristic of God's kingdom" (LBC, 1900). Spiritual values (righteousness of life), not earthly things, are to be his priority.
6:34 - "Take . . . no thought" - i.e., Do not worry about tomorrow. "Today has enough to occupy our attention . . . If tomorrow does bring new trouble, there will be new grace to meet it" (NIVBC, 35). "Evil" (KJV) is used in the sense of trouble (cf. NASB).
Lesson 13 - Matthew 7:1-6, 12-20 (cf. Luke 6:37-42, 31, 43-49)
7:1 - "Judge not" - "The present imperative suggests that it is the habit of judging others that is condemned" (WBC, 940). Clearly, this does not rule out making judgments, something Christians are called upon to do constantly (cf. Matt. 7:6, 16; John 7:24; 1 Cor. 2:14-15; 11:13). The context here (Matt. 7:3-5) makes it clear that "the Lord is here condemning the spirit of censoriousness, judging harshly, self-righteously, without mercy, without love" (Hendriksen, Matthew, 356-7), hypocritically.
7:1 - "be not judged" - Most see this as a reference to judgment by God (WBC, 941; NIVBC, 35; LBC, 1901; Wiersbe, 49; JFB, 5:46). Some, however, believe it could refer to the judgment of both people and God (Hendriksen, 357).
7:3 - "mote . . . beam" - "Mote" = speck; "beam" = a log or plank. Cf. NIV. "The illustration is intentionally exaggerated to show the ludicrous position of one wh osets himself up to judge others. Such a person is termed hypocrite, for he pretends to act as a physician, when he is really ailing himself" (WBC, 941).
7:5 - "hypocrite" - The word is taken from the theater, where it was used of an actor. Thus, it came to be used of one who acts a part, or makes a pretense (Vine's, 316).
7:6 - "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, . .. swine" - Dogs and pigs were particularly repulsive to the Jews. Here they illustrate those who have given "clear evidences of rejecting the Gospel with vicious scorn and hardened contempt" (NIVBC, 35). Discernment (judgment) is needed so that the precious things of God are not continually cast before those who will treat it contemptibly.
7:12 - "Whatsoever ye would . . ." - Cf. Luke 6:31. The thought is also set forth in the Jewish apocryphal book Tobit (4:15). In the context, Jesus was saying, "Rather than judging others, we are to treat them as we would like to be treated" (WBC, 941).
7:12 - "the law and the prophets" - The Golden Rule essentially summarizes the teaching of the Old Testament.
7:16 - "Ye shall know them by their fruits" - WBC (941) identifies the fruits as primarily doctrine rather than works, "since outward appearances may not cause suspicion." Clearly, this seems to be the emphasis (cf. Matt. 7:21-23). However, "the term 'fruit' generally includes more than teachings. . . . it also indicates a person's life or behavior" (Hendriksen, 374). Although false prophets can feign godliness to the point of deceiving many (cf. Matt. 7:15; 24:24), eventually their true character will become evident. "What one is will eventually reveal itself in what one does" (NIVBC, 37).
7:16 - "grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles" - "From a distance the little black berries on the buckthorn could be mistaken for grapes, and the flowers on certain thistles might deceive one into thinking figs were growing . . . But no one would be long deceived. So with people!" (NIVBC, 37).
Abbreviations
BKC - Walvoord and Zuck, eds., Bible Knowledge Commentary
JFB - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible
KJV - King James Version
Kent - Kent, Light in the Darkness: Studies in the Gospel of John
LBC - Liberty Bible Commentary (now called KJV Parallel Commentary)
Marshall - Marshall, Commentary on Luke (New International Greek Commentary)
Michaels - Michaels, John (New International Bible Commentary)
NASB - New American Standard Bible
NBD - New Bible Dictionary
NIV - New International Version
NIVBC - Barker and Kohlenberger, eds., NIV Bible Commentary
NJB - New Jerusalem Bible
NRSV - New Revised Standard Version
Old ISBE - Orr, ed., International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Robt. - Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament
Stein - Stein, Luke (New American Commentary)
UBD - Unger's Bible Dictionary
Vine's - Vine, Unger, and White, Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
WBC - Pfeiffer and Harrison, eds., Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Wiersbe - Wiersbe, Meet Your King
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